Former Flathead County Undersheriff Chuck Curry has kicked off the 2010 election cycle early with an announcement this week that he plans to run for sheriff on the Republican ticket.

The opening date to file for county offices is still more than a month away, but Curry already has his election Web site established at www.chuckcurryforsheriff.com and has begun his advertising campaign.

Curry, 50, got into law enforcement at age 18 when he joined the Flathead County Posse. Two years later, in 1980, he joined the Sheriff’s Office as a full-time deputy and served as undersheriff for 15 years before retiring in 2005. Since then he has been affiliated with the ALERT air-ambulance program at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where he’s currently chief flight paramedic.

“I needed a break,” Curry said about his departure from the Sheriff’s Office four years ago and his decision not to run for sheriff in 2006. “I feel I still have a lot to offer and I think I can do a good job.”

As undersheriff, Curry was active in all aspects of the Sheriff’s Office, serving as SWAT team commander, dive rescue team commander (he’s currently team leader), search and rescue coordinator and a member of the DUI Task Force.

“I’m a hands-on kind of guy,” he said.

Even though he acknowledges the sheriff’s job focuses on administrative tasks, he sees himself being an active leader.

“I think I can still be actively involved. That’s part of being a good leader,” he said.

If elected as sheriff, he would give up his flight paramedic work with ALERT.

He has outlined his platform on his Web site, saying that school resource officers need to be reinstituted in local schools and a full-time search and rescue coordinator position needs to be restored.

Curry also maintains there’s currently “over-supervision” within the Sheriff’s Office, with “more supervisors than deputies to supervise.

“This is an inefficient way of managing the Sheriff’s Office and it is a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges, Curry said, will be maintaining progressive programs for the public, such as school resource officers, within the current budget constraints. He would pursue grant funding to sustain programs.

Looking back on his career in law enforcement, Curry said it’s important to admit when mistakes are made no matter how difficult it may be.

Curry found himself apologizing for a major error in the aftermath of a 2004 plane crash on the northern slopes of Mount Liebig.

As the lead officer among four people who surveyed the crash site, Curry determined there were no survivors. But more than a day later, two injured survivors walked out on their own to be rescued. They had walked about five miles in 29 hours.

“We made a mistake,” Curry said. “I’d use this as an example of how to say I was wrong. Numerous people were involved [in studying the crash site], but I was the ranking guy. I felt terrible.

“But it’s important that when something is not right that you own up to it and learn from it,” he added.

 Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com